Secondary School Credentials

Students who are applying during their last year of secondary school should clearly state the name of the certificate they expect to receive and when. They should send an official school transcript with the application and send the original or certified copies of the credentials listed below when available. Admissions may request additional credentials as needed.

Boston University pays particular attention to the high school curriculum of each applicant for admission. The Board of Admissions looks to see if the applicant has challenged him/herself in the most demanding curriculum available.

Select Your Country to View Credentials Required

Algeria

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Baccalaureat exam scores and certificate	None

Australia

State	Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
New South Wales	Higher School Certificate (Matriculation)	None
Queensland	Senior Certificate	None
South Australia	Matriculation Certificate	None
Tasmania	1. Higher School Certificate 2. Advanced Level Exams	None Upon Review
Victoria	Matriculation Examination/Higher School Certificate)	None
Western Australia	Leaving Certificate (Matriculation)/Certificate of Sec. Ed.	None

Austria

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Reifeprüfung/Matura from Allgemeinbildende hörereSchulen	None

Bangladesh

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Higher Secondary Certificate and transcript	None

Belgium

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Diplôme d’aptitude à accéder à l’enseignement supérieur/Bekwaamheids–diploma dat toegang verleent tot het hoger onderwijs (Diploma Giving Access to Higher Education/DGAHE)	None

Brazil

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Certificado de Segundo Grau and transcript	None

Canada

Province	Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
British Columbia	Secondary School Graduation diploma	None
Ontario	Ontario Secondary School Diploma	None
Québec	Secondary Leaving Certificate and one year of CEGEP, or Secondary Leaving Certificate and 2 years of CEGEP	None Varies¹
Other provinces	High school diploma and transcript	None

Chile

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Licencia Secondaria/Licencia de Educacion Media	None

China

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Senior High School graduation and transcript	None

Cyprus

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Apolyterion and school transcript	None

Czech Republic

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Maturitni Vysvedcent and transcript	None

Denmark

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Studentereksamen: cores and certificate	Upon Review¹

Egypt

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
General Secondary Education Certificate and school transcript	None

Finland

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Ylioppilastuntkinto exam scores and certificate	Upon Review¹

France

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Baccalaureat and exam scores	Maximum 1 Year

Germany

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Abitur including exam scores	Varies¹

Greece

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Apolytirio Gymnasiou and school transcript	None

Hong Kong

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
HKCEE and Lower Form VI transcript
HK A-Levels	Maximum 1 year
HKDSE	To Be Determined

Iceland

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Studentsprof (from Verzlunarskoli) and exam scores	Maximum ½ year
Studentsprof (from Menntaskoli) and exam scores	Maximum 1 year

India

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Higher Secondary Certificate and transcript/Secondary School Certificate	None

Indonesia

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Sekolah Menengah Atas and exam scores	None

Ireland

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Leaving Certificate Ordinary/Higher	None

Israel

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Bagrut and school transcript	None

Italy

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Maturita and school transcript	Maximum ½ year

Japan

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Kotogakko/Secondary School Leaving Certificate and school transcript	None

Jordan

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Kotogakko/Secondary School Leaving Certificate and school transcript	None

Korea, Republic of

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
High School diploma and transcript	None

Lebanon

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Certificate of General Secondary Education (Baccalaureat)	None

Malaysia

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Malaysian Certificate of Education/Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia	None
MCE/SPM and transcript of Lower Form VI	None
Higher School Certificate/Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran	Upon Review¹

Morocco

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Baccalaureat and exam scores	None

The Netherlands

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Eindexamen/V.W.O. and exam scores	None

New Zealand

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
National Certification of Educational Achievement/NCEA Level 3	None

Nigeria

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Senior School Certificate (SSSC) and transcript	None

Norway

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Vitnemal Fraden Videregaendesskolen and transcript	None

Pakistan

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Intermediate or Higher Secondary School Certificate	None

Peru

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Certificado de Educacion Secondaria commun completaand school transcript including rank in class	None

The Philippines

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
National College Entrance Exam and secondary school transcript (only very strong students will be considered under our Early Admission Program)	None

Russia

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Secondary School Leaving Certificate and transcript	None

Saudi Arabia

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
BacSaudi Arabian General Secondary Education Certificate	None

Singapore

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Cambridge GCSE and minimum of 1 year of GCE A-Level study
GCE A-Levels	Maximum 1 year

South Africa

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Senior Certificate/Standard 10 Certificate	None

Spain

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Titulo de Bachillerato/Graduado en Educatcion andtranscript	None

Sweden

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Avgangsbetyg/Fran Gymnasieskola and transcript	None

Switzerland

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Federal Maturitatszeugnis/Certificat de Maturite/Attestanto di Maturita	Maximum ½ year

Taiwan, R.O.C.

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Senior High School Diploma	None

Thailand

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Mathayam Suksa VI including grades and school transcript	None

Turkey

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
Lise Diploma and transcript	None

United Kingdom

Credentials Accepted for Admission	Advanced Credit
GCSE and minimum of 1 year of GCE A-Level study
A/S Level	Maximum ½ year
GCE A-Levels	Maximum 1 year

¹ This credential may serve as the basis for limited advanced standing credit at the discretion of Admissions. Please contact us for further information.

Advanced Credit Policies

Boston University believes that superior results on any of the following examinations demonstrate a level of achievement beyond most standard high school programs, which is factored into the evaluation for admission. The University recognizes that such high-scoring students are well prepared to enter the University’s most competitive programs.

Please see Advanced Credit for more information.

Latin American Countries

Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela: Bachillerato and school transcript; no advanced credit.

Caribbean Countries

Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago: Official General Certificate of Education (GCE) and CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate) Official GCE Advanced level passes maximum one year advanced credit.

More Information

If your country is not listed here and you do not know the proper credentials, please contact us.

Credentials for which possible credit is indicated are evaluated according to both the examination results (grades, marks, notes, and so on) and the syllabus. Courses whose syllabi do not compare closely with the courses offered in the Boston University curriculum cannot serve as the basis for advanced standing.

Credit policies are subject to review and change.